A collective batting effort helped India post a competitive target of 248 runs against Pakistan in the sixth match of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2025 at Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium on Sunday.
Batting first, India started positively as openers Smriti Mandhana and Pratika Rawal added crucial runs, putting early pressure on Pakistan’s bowling attack.
The partnership was broken when Pakistan captain Fatima Sana dismissed Mandhana for 23 off 32 balls, which included four boundaries, leaving India at 48-1 in nine overs.
India suffered another early setback when Rawal was clean bowled by spinner Sadia Iqbal for 31 off 37 balls, ending their 19-run stand.
Harleen Deol and captain Harmanpreet Kaur then steadied the innings with a vital partnership, with Deol scoring freely through boundaries and Kaur providing solid support.
Diana Baig struck next for Pakistan, dismissing Kaur for 19 off 34 balls, leaving India at 106-4 in 24.4 overs.
Deol approached her ODI fifty alongside Jemimah Rodrigues, adding 46 runs for the fifth wicket, but Deol fell for 46 off 65 balls, which included four boundaries and a six.
Rodrigues’ resistance ended when she was dismissed LBW by Nashra Sandhu for 32 off 37 balls, leaving India at 159-5 at the end of the 35th over.
Deepti Sharma and Sneh Rana then guided India past the 200-run mark with a 42-run partnership. However, Rana fell for 20 off 33 balls to Fatima Sana in the 44.2 over, reducing India to 201-6.
In the final stages, Baig dismissed Sharma, who scored a valuable 25 off 33 balls. Sadia then accounted for Shree Charani (8), leaving India struggling at 226-8 in 48.2 overs.
Wicketkeeper-batter Richa Ghosh played a blazing unbeaten 39 off 20 balls, featuring three fours and two sixes, while Kranti Goud added eight before falling to Baig, leaving India at 247-9.
Renuka Singh was the final wicket, departing for a first-ball duck.
For Pakistan, Baig recorded figures of 4/69 in 10 overs, while Sana and Sadia picked up two wickets each. Rameen Shamim and Nashra Sandhu claimed one wicket apiece.
